School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty and Staff

Ms. Ingrid Bircann-Barkey holds a B. A in anthropology from Columbia University 1986, and a M.A. in Latin American, Caribbean and U. S. Latino Cultural Studies from SUNY Albany 2003. She is currently a doctoral student in Spanish with a specialty concentration in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Cultural Studies also at SUNY Albany. Her interdisciplinary background includes serving as curator and director of the Altos de Chavón Regional Museum of Archaeology in La Romana, Dominican Republic, teaching Spanish and liberal arts courses in Colonial History of the Caribbean and Women’s Issues in Latin America, and serving as coordinator for College of the Atlantic’s Winter Terms in Yucatán, an innovative Spanish program in Mérida, México. Her research interests include race and class issues in Dominican women workers’ lives, Hispanic Caribbean culture and society, and relational theory in teaching and learning.
Dr. Millie Carvalho, Department of Social Work Chairperson, earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work at Bryn Mawr College. She also earned her Master of Social Work and Master of Law and Social Policy degrees at Bryn Mawr College. In addition, she received her Master of Counselor Education degree from Boston University. Dr. Carvalho’s research interests are frontline case management practice in child welfare and conflict resolution practices in communities of color. Her research focuses specifically on transforming negative emotions that trigger impulsive violence, and counteracting the negative effects of structural violence, poverty and media influences on youth interpersonal violence.
Dr. Angela E. Chamblee is an Assistant Professor at Virginia Union University. She received her Doctor of Arts in Humanities degree from Clark Atlanta University in May of 1991, her Master of Arts degree in English from Atlanta University in 1984, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1981. Dr. Chamblee has published in Proteus: a Journal of Ideas and C.L.A. Journal.
Dr. Randy Fitzgerald, Department of Communications and Media Arts Chairperson, joined Virginia Union University following a 23-year career in public relations at the University of Richmond. For 18 years he was a weekly columnist, first for the Richmond News Leader and then for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Fitzgerald holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Richmond and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Georgia. Before returning to the University of Richmond, he taught at colleges in Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia. Dr. Fitzgerald is co-founder of the College Communicators of Virginia and D.C. and was awarded that group’s distinguished service award. He has won numerous writing awards and is a member of the international honorary English society Sigma Delta Tau and the national leadership fraternity Omicron Delta Kappa.
 
 
 
 
   
Dr. Naomi P. Franklin is Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Virginia Union University. She received her Ph.D. from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina; her M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in New York, New York; her M.A. from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts; and her B.A. from City College of New York.
Dr. Devonya N. Havis earned her Ph.D., with distinction, in Philosophy at Boston College. Havis received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Williams College. An associate professor of philosophy at Virginia Union University, Havis teaches philosophy courses that range from explorations of Hip-Hop theory and its political implications to discussions of classical ethics. Her ongoing research entails explorations of Alterity, Ethics, and Political Philosophy. She is currently working on performative utterance, a theory that examines alternative notions of social change informed by Michel Foucault and Emmanuel Levinas.
Dr. Raymond Pierre Hylton received a B.A. degree in History/Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth in 1970; and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in History from University College, Dublin, Ireland in 1983 and 1986, respectively. Dr. Hylton has been teaching full-time at Virginia Union University since August of 1991, and holds the faculty rank of Full Professor. He has recently authored a book: Ireland’s Huguenots and their Refuge, 1662-1745: An Unlikely Haven (2005).
Mr. Trenton Price, instructor of English Composition, American Literature and World Literature, has taught at Virginia Union for the past four years. He was awarded a Dual Degree (covering English and Anthropology) from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2001. While working toward his Master's Degree in Literature, Mr. Price began teaching at VUU as adjunct. He received his Master's Degree in December of 2005.
Ms. Nancy Rhodes has been an instructor of English at Virginia Union University since 1987. She received her M.A in English from University of Richmond in 1971 and her B.A. in English from Hollins College in 1968. Her previous experience included: Adjunct Professor; University of Richmond 1979-1987 and Lecturer; Virginia Union University 1984-1987 (Full-time). Courses currently taught include: ENG102; HUM225; HUM226.
Dr. Linda Schlichting received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Roanoke College, her Master of Science degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University at Buffalo. She began a career with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a Social Work Associate at the Northport, New York VA Medical Center. After completion of her Master's degree in social work, she re-joined the VA in Milwaukee, where she served as a social worker and developed an alcohol treatment program. While at the Milwaukee VA, she received training to be a chief of social work, and subsequently served as the director of social work at VA medical centers in Amarillo, TX, Phoenix, AZ, and Philadelphia, PA.
Ms. María E. Silva is an Associate Professor of Spanish and Language Coordinator at Virginia Union University. Ms. Silva has completed all but her dissertation for a doctorate at Johns Hopkins University. She holds a dual Masters degree in Latin American Literature and Latin American Studies from Ohio University and a Bachelors Degree from the University of Toronto.
Dr. Peter S. Tahsoh, a Mass Communications Professor at Virginia Union University, earned his Ph.D. in Mass Communications from Howard University in Washington, DC. December of 1994. Dr. Tahsoh received his M.S. in Mass Communications in June of 1985 and his B.A. in Mass Communications, December of 1983. Both were obtained while attending Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Professor Vernita Elliott Walton is the Director of Field Instruction for the Department of Social Work. She earned her Master of Social Work degree at Virginia Commonwealth University and her Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice at Virginia Commonwealth University. Professor Elliott Walton is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in higher education leadership. Prior to joining the faculty at Virginia Union University, Elliott Walton worked as a certified school social worker with the Richmond Public Schools Head Start Program. She has also worked for Henrico County Public Schools.
Ms. Kavis F. Winston received her M.A. in English from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1996 and her B.A. in English from James Madison University in 1994. She served for two years as an Academic Coordinator in the Organizational Management & Development Program for Bluefield College's Division of Adult and Continuing Education. Presently, she is an instructor of English at Virginia Union University where she teaches freshman composition courses and a humanities course. While at Virginia Union, she has been an active participant in the creation and implementation of a redesigned freshman composition course.
Dr. Preston M. Yancy is a Professor of English and Humanities at Virginia Union University. He received a Ph.D. and M.S.S. at Syracuse University, a M.H. at the University of Richmond, and a B.A. at Morehouse College. He is the author of The Afro-American Short Story: A Comprehensive, Annotated Index with Selected Commentaries.
Dr. Yancy has won awards for his weekly newspaper columns in The Richmond Free Press, and The Richmond Afro-American.


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Dr. A. E. Elizabeth Garbrah-Aidoo is a naturalized US citizen who was born in Ghana, West Africa. She has been in the US since September 1972 and is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA. She was a professor of Political Science and the Acting Director of the Institute for Teaching Excellence (ITE) at Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia before her appointment at VUU. Dr. Garbrah-Aidoo earned her Ph.D. and Masters Degree in Political Science at the University of Houston, Texas; an MBA at LaGrange College, Georgia; and a B.S. in Agriculture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Ghana. Dr. Garbrah-Aidoo had also taught at James Madison University, Virginia; Tuskegee University in Alabama, the University of South Carolina, Texas Southern University, and at the University of Houston. She was a Senior Fulbright Scholar (1999/2000) at Cairo University in Egypt.
Dr. Willis L. Barnett, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choirs at Virginia Union University received his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Norfolk State University in 1973. He went on to obtain the Master of Science degree in Music Composition from Norfolk State University in 1978. Dr. Barnett has also studied at Catholic University of America and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
Judy Melchor Little is an Associate Professor of Art at Virginia Union University. Ms. Little received her M.F.A. in Painting and Printmaking in 1991 from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She earned a B.A. in Art Education in 1964 from Longwood University in Farmville Virginia. Ms. Little has studied at the Salisburg Seminar in Salisburg, Austria, and Paris Atelier, Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris, France.
Dr. Emmanuel U. Onyedike, Professor in the Department of Communication and Media Arts at Virginia Union University, has more than 20 years of experience teaching journalism and mass communication at the college level. He has been an administrator for seven of those years. Professionally, he has written and edited news stories for the Oakland Tribune in Oakland, California and has been a newspaper columnist for the Weekly Star in Enugu, Nigeria. He has also served as an information officer. He received all his graduate degrees (Ph.D. Education, M.A. Public Affairs and M.A. Journalism) from the University of Iowa, Iowa City. Dr. Onyedike and family reside in James City County, Virginia.